Origin

Old Englishcynd(e), gecynd(e), of Germanic origin; related to kin. The original sense was 'nature, the natural order,' also 'innate character, form, or condition' (compare with kind2); hence 'a class or race distinguished by innate characteristics'.

In Old English the original senses of kind were ‘nature, the natural order’, and ‘innate character’, which led to our use of the word for ‘a class or type of similar people or things’. Kind is also related to kin (Old English) and through it to king. In medieval times it was used as an adjective to mean ‘well born’, and the association of good breeding with good manners in turn gave us the familiar meaning of ‘considerate and generous’.

Origin

In Old English the original senses of kind were ‘nature, the natural order’, and ‘innate character’, which led to our use of the word for ‘a class or type of similar people or things’. Kind is also related to kin (Old English) and through it to king. In medieval times it was used as an adjective to mean ‘well born’, and the association of good breeding with good manners in turn gave us the familiar meaning of ‘considerate and generous’.